Emeli Sandé - Our Version of Events (Album Review)
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Written by Tom Bevan
Having written songs for Cheryl Cole and Susan Boyle and recorded with Tinie Tempah, Wiley and Professor Green, former medical student Emeli Sandé is now operating solo with debut album Our Version of Events, released this week on EMI. Hailing from Alford, Aberdeen, the 24-year-old has already been tipped for success, finishing first ahead of Michael Kiwanuka and Maverick Sabre in the Brits Critics Choice award. With her super slick image and glossy album production, Sandé could be disregarded as just another label created star but underneath the over polished surface there is a young woman with a lot to say and the means to say it.
The album ticks all the boxes; delicious vocals, gradually building strings and a tinkly piano, with the addition of punchy choruses, nineties drumming and memorable lyrics.
And it’s with the latter that Sandé won me over as she talks of loyalty, hope, self confidence and individual empowerment, not you your usual subject matters for a mainstream debut. “Next To Me’ is about her relationship with music but can be read as a refreshing testament to a loyal partner,; “You won’t find him drinking under tables/ Rolling dice and staying out till three/ You won’t ever find him being unfaithful/ You will find him next to me”. ‘River’ is a warm ballad asking ‘If you’re too big to follow rivers/ how you ever gonna find the sea?” and it typifies the feeling of tackling human weaknesses which radiates from the album as a whole. Closing tracks “Hope” and “Read All About It” are a call to arms for people to stand up for change in the world; “You’ve got the words to change a nation/ But you’re biting you’re tongue” an inspiring opener and “I hope we start seeing forever/ Instead of what we can gain in a day” a gentle nod to the wasteful and harmful nature of consumerism.
With soul-licked backing and soaring lead vocals, on “My Kind of Love” we blatantly hear the influence of Alicia Keys, who has praised Sandé as “super-special” whilst hard hitting ‘Heaven’ is unmistakeably reminiscent of Massive Attack’s Unfinished Sympathy. However, Sandé does have her own sound and she’s found herself creating an album which has the potential to become ‘classic’ with the number of memorable tunes.
This is an artist who deserves some time in the sun and with her soulful voice, accomplished song writing and huge record deal mean a successful career is all but guaranteed. Sandé seems to be the pop darling of 2012 and she deserves all the plaudits. Catch her at the Brits, and subsequently on all good TV montages, very soon.
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The album ticks all the boxes; delicious vocals, gradually building strings and a tinkly piano, with the addition of punchy choruses, nineties drumming and memorable lyrics.
